litigation

noun

lit·​i·​ga·​tion ˌli-tə-ˈgā-shən 

plural litigations

: the act, process, or practice of settling a dispute in a court of law : the act or process of litigating

an issue that has been in litigation for years

an attorney who specializes in the litigation of property disputes

The American Judicial System generally limits the filing of lawsuits to individuals with a personal stake in the litigation, but there are instances when litigants cannot themselves prosecute an action.

—Jonathan Mahler

also : a legal action or proceeding (such as a lawsuit)

"You can't realize how much it costs to run one of these litigations. To get a battery of lawyers into a courtroom and do all the planning … and so on costs $500,000."

—Gordon Gould

Examples of litigation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While pro sports litigations tend to attract media attention and often involve high monetary stakes, judges usually treat them like other cases and not give them priority on account of their celebrity. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Nov. 2024

Unfortunately, schools have repeatedly violated court decisions, resulting in a steady stream of litigation over the past 70 years. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 30 Nov. 2024

Excessive litigation, fraud and the increasing threat of more frequent and severe natural disasters have contributed to rising insurance costs and the withdrawal of several private insurers from the state in recent years. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024

According to the outlet, the filing is part of ongoing litigation between her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, and the Where Is Wendy Williams? —Dominique Fluker, Essence, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing litigation

• in litigation